Dear Antique & Collectibles Buyer

I found this letter from an anonymous seller and just had to share it. It really hit home

Dear Antique & Collectible Buyer, 

I started on eBay in 1998, first listing I posted using WebTv. 

Remember my Auction ? 99 cents: old Robot Toy in old box. 
No pictures. I described the heck out of it. Took me 1/2 an hr. No shipping posted. (You eMailed after you won, I weighed & charged exact postage). 

You fought a bidding war and won my Robot for $38.73, mailed me a check. When I got it, I eMailed you. 
I boxed my Robot up & sent him off. 
You got him a week later & left me my first positive Feedback. 
You eMailed: he was better than described, you were happy. 

I'm still on eBay. Selling old stuff in old boxes. 
Still describing the heck out of my stuff. 
Taking & posting 3-12 pictures. 

You do not read my description, look at my photos, or ask me questions before you buy. 

If you did, maybe you wouldn't have to leave a weird comment in your feedback text, or, smash my as described star. 

My stuff has been around a long time. I was not with it in its life journey. I don't know for a fact if anyone ever enjoyed a pipe in the same room as my item. I never sniffed my Robot in 1998. I don't think he 'reeked' as you might claim, today. 

Maybe the good Lord did not give me as good a sniffer as you have. 
If smells bothered me alot, I'd buy new stuff, which only smells of plastic. 

I pack in plastic & foam & bubble, but, I use a paper box, which is a hard sponge. If the guy at the hub, or, the UPS or USPS driver smokes by your box, I can't be there to tell him to 'snuff that out' ! 

I appreciate your 'make an offer & get it for less', but, alas, my items are unique. That means I cannot make a small profit in volume, e.g., I buy 1000 of them from China and make $1.00 on each. 

I devote many hours driving, standing, handling, & carrying old items home. I clean, inspect, research, measure, weigh. A Seller of old stuff, puts 2-10 times more work into bringing items to visibility than a big box online, (who makes one template and hits relist a thousand times). 

I understand you want 'free shipping'. 

I went to the P.O. & UPS and asked. 
They would not ship for free. 
I tried. 

If, by 'free shipping', you mean, I pay, then, you need to understand that, if I list 'free shipping', I pay higher listing & end *FVF) fees on the item. As I figure I need to make X on the item, so I make at least minumum wage, that extra fee from eBay has to go into my price. 

It is cheaper for you if I list item PLUS shipping, and YOU decide if it is what you want to pay. 

I am trying to STAY on eBay, offering old, unusual, better made, unique items. 

You might not always FIND them. 

You need to be sure to click many tabs: ending soonest, newly listed, stores inventory, to find me. 

'Best Match' is eBay's 'tracking' opinion of what you want to see. NOT what's available. You're missing out on some great stuff if you only use 'Best Match'. 

Want me & my fellow junque Sellers to be here for you? 
You need to read, ask questions, and communicate with me. 
If you're not happy, why can't you tell me first ? 

If you leave a 1 or 2 star, I'll get suspended. Then, you'll never get to see what treasures I might have for sale. I'll take them to a show or flea, where buyers do all the inspecting & measuring, I just sit there & take the money. 

I don't have to wait 3-21 days for PayPal to 'clear' your payment. I don't lose up to 50% of the sale to fees. I don't have to worry that the post office lost or crushed it, or, you changed your mind & want a refund & for me to pay the shipping back, too. 

Most new stores, you need to waste your time & gas to return it. And, if you don't have your receipt, packaging, etc., they give you a hard time. 

I am selling at 25% of new, and you want me to pay for things new stores do not give you. If you want those 'free returns, etc.', I need to raise my prices to theirs: retail prices. 

If that is what you want, if you want to pay for services like returns, that you will never use, let me know. I will price that, and eBay & PayPal fees, into my start price. 

Thank you, 
Your Seller.